Footwear



R. T. DAWES 'June 2l, 1932.

FOOTWEAR Filed March 20. 1951 f-m @JQ/f UH 5 #mmf 47 Tm@ @5: L e

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@Magg I Patented June 21, 1932 UNITED STATES ROBERT T. DAWES, OF HUDSON, MASSACHUSETTS FOOTWEAR Application led March 20, 1931. Serial No. 524,012.

This invention pertains to footwear and relates more particularly to means for binding the upper of a boot or shoe snugly about the ankle of the wearer. It has previously been proposed to provide a shoe, particularly a shoe for sport wear, with a series of spaced loops near the top edge of the upper and through these loops to pass a strap by means of which the top of the upper may be drawn snugly about the ankle. In some cases, it has been proposed to supply the forward ends of the strap with a buckle and eyelets respectively for holding the strap in adjusted position, and in other cases, the strap has been furnished with holes near its ends through which the shoe lace is passed and drawn tight before tying.

The use of external loops or other ret-aining means which exposes the strap, or a substantial part of the strap is objectionable as incompatible with the expected finish of a high-grade shoe, while the exposed strap tends to curl, accumulate dust and otherwise detract from the appearance of the shoe during use. Moreover, all straps previously employed for the purpose have had holes or leyelets extending directly through the thickness of the strap and such holes or eyelets soon tear or pull out when exposed to the strains necessary to draw the strap up to a snug fit.

In accordance with the present invention the shoe is provided at its upper edge with a tubular bead providing a channel within which the binding strap is substantially concealed,-'only the front ends of the strap being exposed, and preferably the strap is so arranged as to be free to move endwise in this channel. The bead not only provides guiding and retaining means for the strap, but it protects the strap from dirt and injury and at the same time imparts to the shoe a finely finished appearance independent of its strap guiding functions.

The strap employed in accordance with the present invention is of a type which insures a maximum employment of the inherent strength of the material used. Thus, instead of making a hole through the strap which 50 diminishes the strength of the latter, the

present invention provides a strap whose constituent material is folded or doubled to form a loop at each end through which the shoe lace is passed. This loop may be formed 1n varlous ways depending to some extent 65 upon the material used, but however made,

1t furnishes a much more durable means for receiving strains imposed by the lace than 1n prior constructions, and in fact as thus formed it is found in most cases to last as no long as the shoe, and since the axis of the opening defined by the loop extends longitudinally of the shoe, or more specifically stated,-substantially parallel to the adjacent surface of the shoe, it is more effectively M positioned to receive the shoe lace than is the hole or eyelet usually provided.

In the accompanying drawing in which l have illustrated a proposed embodiment of the invention by way of exam le, together 7o with certain modified forms o strap:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a shoe embodyingthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section to larger scale on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Flg. 3 is a composite view showing a strap of preferred construction both in front and rear elevation, the latter' being partly in section and partly in edge view;

Fig. 4 is a composite View showing a strap 8o of modified construction, both in front and rear elevation, the front elevation being partly in section, this strap having a plurality of loops at each end;

Fig. 5 is a composite view showing a fur- R5 ther form of strap made from flat ribbonlike material and showing it in front and edge elevation respectively;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary composite view showing in front and edge elevation a further form of strap;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary composite View showing in front and rear elevation a strap in which staples are used for securing the component parts of the strap together;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary composite view showing in front and edge elevation a strap formed of fiat or ribbon-like material having securing stitches extending transversely thereof; l

front and rear elevation a strap formed from sheet material by folding; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary rear elevation showing a strap made from leather.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates generally a shoe which may be made in accordance with any of the usual processes vand which comprises among other things theV upper 2 having the front opening or throat 3 adapted to be closed by a lace 4.

This upper may comprise the usual outery member and limng and near its upper mar gin is provided at the outside with the mem\ ber 5 secured to the other parts of the upper by stitches or other appropriate means and which defines a channel 6 external to the shoe upper and extending around the rear andsides of the upper at the top of the latter,

`The tubular bead forming member 5 may conveniently beformedbefore the shoe is lastc ed and for convenience in defining the channel and for introducing the stra-p into the channel it is preferable, when stitching the part 5 to the other parts of the upper, to lay a cord or temporary strap beneath the part 5 and to leave this cord in position until after the shoe is lasted. One end of the strap hereinafter described may then be secured to one end of the cord and the cord may be pulled out from the channel 6 at the same time drawing the strap into the channel. When the strap has been positioned in the channeLand after the shoe has been drawn onto the foot, the ends of the lace 4 may be passed through the loop in the ends of the strap and by tightening the lace the strap may be drawn tightly around the ankle of the wearer, and held in this osition by tying the lace.

Wiiile the channel 6 is adapted for use with straps of any type, I prefer to employ the form hereinafter described, since this strap provides the strength necessary to withstand the pull of the lace, and by reason of its uniform width and thickness is free to move within the channel so that it can be drawn up snugly about the foot.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the preferred form of strap is made from a piece of fiat tubular braided material 7 of approximately twice the length of the strap to be formed. The portions 8 and 9 of this braided material are doubled or folded over and their extremities 8a and 9a are passed inwardly through openings 10 in the wall of the tubular material and are pulled along until their ends are in proximity. The doubling of the material in this manner provides a loop 11, at each end through which the shoe lace may be drawn as above described and as this loop consists of the full width and thickness of the original fabric it is capable of withstanding a very heavy strain without tendencyl to break or tear. In order to retain the end portions of the strap in the position shown in Fig. 3, I

may employ any desired form of fastener element, for example, a row or rows of stitching 12 extending lengthwise of the strap.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a slight modification wherein the strip of material has its ends 14 oand 15 folded Qver and disposedwithin the tubular body portion of the strap as in the previously described arrangement, but, in this construction each end is first folded to form a loop 16 and is then passed inwardly and then outwardly through adjacent holes in the wall ofthe material and beneath the intervening bridging portion 17. The free portion of the strap is then again passed through;

an opening into the interior of the material,

making a second loop 18, and this process maybe repeated to make as many loops as may be desired at each end of the strap. The en portions are then anchored in position by proper securing means, for example, a longitudinal line of stitches 12a.

Under some circumstances it may be preferred to use plain or ribbon-like material instead of the tubular material and as shown in Fig. 5 a length of this plain materia1'19, for example webbing, may have its ends 20 and 21 doubled over to form loops 22, the end portions being secured in position by fasteners, such, for example, as the stitches 23.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the length of material used in forming the strap is substantially double the length of thecomplete strap, but this is not necessary in all cases. Thus, as shown, for example, in Fig. 6, the material 24 is doubled to provide the end portion 25 of substantially less than one-half the length of the completed strap, such end portion forming the loop 26, and being anchored in position by the stitches 27.

In Fig. 7, the material 28, whether tubular or plain, is folded as shown at 29 and 30 to form the end portions defining loops at opposite ends of the strap, such end portions being anchored in position by staples 31.

In Fig. 8, the material 32 is shown as doubled at 33 to form the end loop 34 and this loop is defined by a transverse line of fasteners, such as stitches 35, the parts also being anchored in position by the longitudinal seam 36.

In Fig. 9, I have illustrated the employment of a piece of fabric not necessarily having a selvaged edge, such piece 37 having its longitudinal edges 38 and 39 turned inwardly to provide a finished edge for the strap, the edge portions being secured by stitches or otherwise, and the ends 40 of this material are then folded over and anchored in posi- 1 tion to provide the end loops.

In Fig. 10, I have illustrated a piece of leather 41 of substantially uniform width and thickness having its end portion 42 doubled over to form the end loop and anchored in position by transverse stitches 43.

While I have illustrated various embodi ments of the invention as respects the strap employed for binding the upper around the foot, it is to be noted as characteristic of all theseforms that the strap has a loop at its end, preferably of the full width and thickness of the material, so that the whole strength of the material is available to withstand the strains imposed during use, while on the other hand the body portion of the strap although in most cases comprising two runs of' the original material, is not substantially wider than a single run, by reason of the intrusion of one run into the tubular bore of the other. Further, t-he preferred construction is such that when the strap is installed in the shoe the axis of the loop opening extends substantially parallel to the adjacent surface of the shoe in contradistinction to prior constructions in which an opening for the shoe lace extendsV substantially perpendicular to the adjacent shoe surface. While I have shown several desirable arrangements, I contemplato that other and equivalent arrangements may be made within the spirit of the invention and that other materials than those described may be employed, and that fasteners other thanthose specifically enumerated may be found useful for the purpose. Thus, for example, under certain circumstance it may be sufficient to employ cement or the like for holding the end portions of the strap in place, or such cement may be used in addition to other means to give greater security.

I claim:

1. A shoe having an upper comprising means forming an external tubular bead, said bead on the upper being below the top edge of the upper and defining a channel extending around the top portion of the upper with its ends opening at the front of the shoe, and a strap extending through said channel, the strap having loops at its ends for the reception of the shoe lace.

2. A shoe having an upper, and means defining a continuous external channel extending around the back and along the sides of the upper adjacent to the top margin of the latter, and a strap disposed in said channel, the ends of the strap projecting out of the ends of the channel and havingv openings for the reception of the shoe lace, the axes of said openings normally extending substantially parallel to the adjacent surface of the shoe.

3. A shoe having an upper, means adjacent to the top margin of the upper for positioning a binding strap, and a strap engaging said positioning means, said strap having looped ends defining openings for the passage of the shoe lace, the axes of said openings being substantially parallel to the adjacent surface of the shoe.

4. A binding strap for shoes comprising a length of flat tubular braid having its end ,portions doubled over and passing through open ends doubled over, each end passing inwardly and then outwardly through one wall of the material to define a terminal loop and then passing inwardly through said wall to form. so

another loop, and a row of stitches extending lengthwise of the strap and passing through the inner and outer runs of material at points substantially midway the width of the strap. Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 19th day of March, 1931.

ROBERT T. DAWES. 

